Part 20

Mother-Corn is assisted by Badger, Gopher, long-nosed Mouse, and Mole to get people out of ground, as in No. 3. People see where other people helped out of ground by Buffalo. They start on journey and are stopped by obstacles, as in No. 3, and are helped by Kingfisher, Owl, and Loon. Some people stay behind as Worms, Birds, Fish, and Loons. [Mother-Corn offers smoke and sends animals for offerings to gods.] Prairie-Chicken kills wild-cat, which represents heavens, and brings it to Mother-Corn for offering. Three Stars in East bring Mother-Corn stone for pipe to form smoke. Pipe is made and filled with native tobacco. Prairie-Chicken takes pipe in succession to gods in Southeast, Southwest, Northwest, and Northeast, and to Nesaru, all of whom smoke the pipe. Prairie-Chicken says sand blown by wind made white spots on its feathers. Smoking by Nesaru is to show consent to Mother-Corn having people on earth and that gods are to protect them. Dog comes and tells Mother-Corn that Whirlwind is angry for being slighted in smoke ceremony. Mother-Corn appeals to Nesaru and the gods for assistance. Woman says she will protect the people, and turns into Cedar-Tree. Big-Meteoric-Star falls from heavens by Cedar-Tree to assist. Whirlwind comes and people all run in all directions, and when Whirlwind strikes them it changes their language. People who stand on Cedar-Tree and Rock are Arikara. Wind strikes Mother-Corn and she vomits four times, water and ears of corn of different color. Whirlwind tells Mother-Corn it has left behind diseases, but says when they offer smoke to the gods they are to give it smoke last, that it may not come very often. Cedar-Tree asks Mother-Corn that it may be known as “Wonderful Grandmother” and be placed in front of the medicine-lodge. Big-Meteoric-Star asks to be known as “Wonderful Grandfather” and sit by Wonderful Grandmother in front of medicine-lodge. Dog asks, as he brought the news, to guard camps and villages and to be offered in ceremonies, and his fat to be used by medicine-men. Mother-Corn gives corn for seeds that corn may be offered to gods. People who scattered to be their enemies—to the southwest, “Sahe;” to northeast, “Pechea;” to the east, “Wooden-Faces;” to south, “Witchcraft-People.” Mother-Corn stays with people until she has taught them bundle ceremonies. She tells them to tie all children’s moccasins together on her back. Then they are to take her to river and throw her in. People do not understand and keep up singing in night. At daylight they find Mother-Corn has turned to ear of corn, with buffalo robe tied to it. People place children’s moccasins with corn and throw them with Mother-Corn and robe into river. Many years afterwards Mother-Corn returns and teaches more bundle ceremony songs and finally disappears.

5. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.

Many people in cave under ground with Corn, Mother of tribe. Mother-Corn sends four birds to find better world, but they are unsuccessful. Long-nosed Mouse, or Mole, Skunk, and Badger work, and at last Badger goes through hole, but falls asleep. Returns in morning and Mother-Corn forces her way through hole followed by all people. They march westward. They come to wide water, thick forest, deep ravine in succession, which Fish, Owl, and Kingfisher help them to cross. They see Buffalo on open prairie and are afraid, but Mole, Skunk, and Badger make holes all around animal. His blood sinks into ground and becomes stone, from which pipes were made. Buffalo butchered and flesh divided among different sacred bundles, with animal’s joints. People again go on westward and fowls, fishes, and animals separate from them and give Mother-Corn power. Mother-Corn separates from animals.

6. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.

[Man Bear’s-Tail relates killing of buffalo cow by father, who calls old woman and keeper of bundle, and describes ceremony of untying bundle. Old man tells origin of bundle and of people.] Nesaru makes giants, but being displeased with them turns them into stones. Nesaru again makes people, small and wonderful. They displease Nesaru, who tells animals to hide. He is going to make water rise from earth. Animals give power to Bear to take people under ground, with assistance of Badger, Mole, and long-nosed Mouse. Fox acts as runner and errand man. People live under ground many years. Animals decide to dig upward for land. Bears, Badgers, Moles, and long-nosed Mice dig and Mole first to get his head through. Badger enlarges hole. Fox goes through and reports what he sees outside. Bear makes hole larger and animals go through, followed by people. Woman, who says she is grain of corn, tells man they are on island. People taken under ground by Mice were grains of corn and now turned to people. Mouse leader. They cross water by aid of woman, who becomes gar-pike. Some fall into water and become fish. People pick up stones to cut with. Mouse leads people through thick timber. Some turn to owls. Earthquake forms deep chasm, which Bear enables people to cross. Whirlwind makes pathway through thick timber. People come to muddy water in “Pawnee” country. They find things to wear and eat. First bow made. Long-nosed Mouse, Bear, Mole, Badger, and Fox die, and their skins with skulls are wrapped in bundles. They receive ceremony from Pawnee. Each bundle receives different ritual. Arikara dress ear of corn as woman and throw it into river. Many years afterwards strange woman comes into lodge where bundle ceremony. People take no notice of her and she goes to other bundle lodges. In last old man recognizes her and Muddy-River-Country ceremony performed. Woman says that four world-quarters are her father, and that she will come to them in dreams and tell them about things in bundle. They are to tie her on bundle and clothe ear of corn. She turns into ear of corn. They send for other old man and tie ears of corn upon the bundles.

7. THE ORIGIN OF THE ARIKARA.

Arikara live under ground. Long-nosed Mouse, Mole, Badger, and Fox agree to take people to top of earth. Mole digs first. Arikara come out, Fox leading. Earthquake, and other people held fast. People journey west and come to chasm caused by earth shaking, but Badger makes pathway. Mother-Corn in heavens asking gods to let people live. Obstructions arranged by being known as Sickness. People come to deep river and Loon sent by gods. Loon flies across river and back and dives. River is open and people cross over. Waters come together again and some people left on other side. Mother-Corn stops and says Black-Wind is angry, but Black-Meteoric-Star will help them. Tells people to get under cedar tree. Black-Wind comes and takes many people. They go on and come to steep mountain bank. Bear digs steps on both sides and people go across. Dog comes up and says his meat shall be offered to gods. His father is Sun, who has given him power.

8. THE ORIGIN OF THE AWAHO-BUNDLE PEOPLE.

People come out of ground, but some are cut off by earthquake. Heavens hear crying and send Mother-Corn to them. Badger digs through earth. People come out and walk westward until they come to thick timber. Screech-Owl flies through and makes pathway. Owl and Whirlwind are enemies. People followed by “Cut-Nose,” an animal with long horns. People run until they come to chasm, which Badger enables them to cross. They then come to thick ice and deep water, which Loon enables them to cross. Mother-Corn teaches people ceremonies and rituals and gives them things to put in bundles. Mother-Corn disappears by ear of corn wrapped in her robe under bundle. Awaho last people to come out of ground, and where other bands have camped they find bits of meat offered to gods, which they use for food. They know all ceremonies and teach them to others. Nearly all are killed by enemies, but bundle hid under bank. Women go for bundle and contents are purified. Sacrifices of meat made the next day. Nesaru made animals to take kernels of corn under ground. They were people turned to corn by Nesaru. This is why animals brought them out of ground and why Mother-Corn was sent by gods in heavens, who had field of corn.

9. MOTHER-CORN’S VISIT TO THE ARIKARA.

Mother-Corn tells Arikara when journeying west to dress her up and put her in river. When Arikara make permanent village upon Missouri River old men think it time to send Mother-Corn down stream. She is taken from bundle, painted, and dressed. After reciting rituals, Mother-Corn, with children’s moccasins tied about her waist, is thrown by priests into river, her head up stream. Many years afterwards woman comes to village and is recognized by man as Mother-Corn. She teaches them ceremonies and songs and that night disappears.

10. MOTHER-CORN’S VISIT TO THE ARIKARA.

In olden times, old man made offerings to gods and Mother-Corn. Mother-Corn is pleased to have smoke with people and starts from east to visit them. She goes into medicine-lodge. She stays many days and teaches them many lessons, but people are hungry for meat. Mother-Corn asks woman to make moccasins for her. She puts on moccasins and they wear out when she walks slowly twenty steps. This takes place four times, but fourth pair brings her back to altar. Her walk means that she has walked long way off in west, and way very hard. She tells people she has seen buffalo and that they will be seen in four days. In morning of fourth day they kill many buffalo, but while they are away, enemies attack village and Mother-Corn is killed. They bury her and from place where she is laid, grass, etc., springs up.

11. HOW THE PEOPLE ESCAPED THE BUFFALO.

When people came out through ground they were led by woman, “Mother.” Among them were all kinds of animals except buffalo. Monster with horns like buffalo comes out of lake. They call him “Cut-Nose.” As it comes along, buffalo come from under him. Buffalo catch up with people and kill some of them. People make canyons behind, which buffalo can not cross. Whirlwind comes. Mother tells people to give presents and smoke to it. Whirlwind scatters some of people. Buffalo with Cut-Nose come behind and people come to big timber. Owl and Badger try to make path through timber, but fail. Coyote and Dog come and open way through. Buffalo and Cut-Nose come again and kill people. They come to deep water. Dogs fail to make pathway, but Loons make opening through waters. They come to canyon and Badger makes banks fall, after Kingfisher and Mole have failed. They cross and make village near canyon. Mother holds ceremonies for different bundles. Awaho-bundle people come last, and they receive all ceremonies. Awaho had been left behind when people came out of ground, and they pick up meat offerings to gods left behind.

12. WHY THE BUFFALO NO LONGER EAT PEOPLE.

Young man goes to village at night and finds people are Buffalo. They are talking about killing people. He finds human head and meat. Hears people are to be got out of ground and killed. Near by sees hole cut in side of hill where bulls circle around and drive people into cut. He sees people running to cut from out of ground. He goes among hills. Strange man gives him bow and arrows and tells him to take young man with bows and arrows to kill and scatter Buffalo. They go to place and attack Buffalo and kill and scatter them, so that they become buffalo and never eat people any more.

13. WHY THE BUFFALO NO LONGER EAT PEOPLE.

People hungry and chief priest opens bundle and offers gifts to gods for them to send buffalo. Buffalo come three days after ceremony and old priest tells story. Buffalo are human, but have horns. When they want meat they recite ritual. When hollow tree is struck with pole four times people led by Cut-Nose come out and are killed, except Cut-Nose, who re-enters tree. Boy chased by Buffalo cow. He sees fine-looking woman wearing white buffalo robe. She goes west and boy follows. He finds woman at tipi. Woman says she has selected him to turn her people into real buffalo, so as not to eat his people. They go through four circles of Buffalo bulls stationed as sentinels and enter tipi, where woman’s father lives. She covers young man with her robe. Buffalo are human, but have horns and tails. They cook and eat human meat. Girl shows him arbors with human bodies, and hollow cottonwood tree, with long stick, and tells him its use. Takes him to timber, where during three days he makes bows and arrows. Next morning they place bows and arrows at foot of tree. Woman tells young man what to do and they hide. When Buffalo come towards tree, young man jumps out. Cut-Nose comes out, and then people. Young man gives men bows and arrows and tells them to shoot and kill Buffalo. Buffalo run towards village, chased by people, and they finally become buffalo. Young man and Buffalo woman take bundle from tipi. They marry and teach people songs and ceremony of bundle. People become part of Arikara.

14. THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR.

Girl says she likes Red-Star and would marry him if on earth. In morning girl sees Porcupine and climbs after it in cottonwood tree. Tree grows higher and girl reaches another world. Porcupine turns into man and says he is Star. She stays with him, but cries every night. She gives birth to male child, who has star on forehead. Son wants wild turnips and man tells her not to dig for them in valleys. She digs in valley and stick runs through earth. She looks down and sees she is far away from her people. Woman tells her to get from husband sinews of whole buffalo and she will make sinew string to reach ground below. Girl gets sinew from husband, who forgets two sinews in shoulder. Old woman makes string and girl also makes long sinew string. They go to valley and girl takes child on back under robe, slips down string fastened to stick across hole. She reaches height of highest tree from ground. Husband sees her hanging and kills her with stone. Boy slips out of robe and falls on ground, but is not hurt. Boy nurses at dead mother’s breast. He goes to cornfield. Old woman catches him and takes him home as grandson. Grandmother scatters corn in lodge for blackbirds and places mush behind curtain. Boy calls blackbirds and kills them all with club. Grandmother brings them to life again and tells them to fly all over the world. She tells boy to throw wood into pond and next morning finds black bow and four black arrows. Boy sees big serpent behind curtain and kills it with bow and arrow and serpent slips into pond. Serpent is grandmother’s husband. Next day old woman tells boy not to go to dangerous place. He goes and sees mountain-lion, which obeys him. He leads lion to old woman’s lodge. The same occurs with a cinnamon bear. Boy sees four wonderful men killing buffalo. They frighten him with fœtus of calf. He climbs tree and they place fœtus in fork. They offer to take calf down if he will give grandmother to them. He returns and tells her he is satisfied, but says they would have to give him something in return. They promise him bow and arrows and old woman tells him to take middle bow of five leaning against wall of lodge. Men go to grandmother’s lodge and stay with her. Old woman sends boy with flute to play around men’s lodge. Men all scared and close up lodge with earth. They die of hunger. Boy goes to den of snakes. Snakes give him long gut to eat, but it is snake, and he twists its head off. Snakes go into ground and try to get into boy’s rectum, but hit rock on which he sits. They tell stories. Snakes all go to sleep on long circular stick around den. Boy with flint knife cuts heads on stick, but last one wakes up and disappears in hole. When boy sleeps he places arrows so that they can fall on him when Snake approaches him. Boy is very sleepy and arrows cannot awaken him. Snake goes into his mouth and nestles in his skull, where it remains until boy becomes skeleton. Boy’s father sends storm and skull is filled with water, but this does not drive out Snake. Father gets Sun to move nearer earth and heats skull until water boils, and Snake crawls out. Boy catches Snake by neck, hits its snout with stone, and rubs its teeth upon rock. He lets it go on promise not to bother people after. Boy returns to grandmother and tells her country is free from wild animals. She disappears, and boy goes to village and tells his story. He dies after clearing country of all wild animals.

15. THE GIRL WHO MARRIED A STAR.

Girl taken up to heavens by star digs turnip and sees people on earth. Old woman makes sinew rope and lets her and child down through hole, but rope too short. Husband kills her with stone, but boy safe. He goes to cornfield and is caught by old woman, who takes him home. He shoots huge serpent behind curtain, who was woman’s husband. She plans for bear to kill him, but he captures bear. Boy finds tipi with four strong men playing dice game. He shoots through hole and cleans man’s nose with arrow. He goes with them to hunt and they annoy him with elk’s fœtus. He climbs tree and men remove fœtus from tree only on his promising them his grandmother. She goes with him to men’s tipi and they teach boy ceremony of catching eagles and of hunting. Boy meets camp of Snakes, all of whom but one he kills, as in No. 14. Surviving Snake enters anus while he sleeps and gets into head, from which it is driven by water boiling. Boy seizes it and knocks its head on flat rock. Boy afraid of fœtus because cluster of stars to which boy’s father belonged did not come up at that time with rest; so father not present to help him.

16. NO-TONGUE AND THE SUN AND THE MOON.

Young man goes upon high hill to mourn. Little bird takes him to another place. Man, painted red, comes and says he is going to be his son and asks for his tongue. Young man cuts off his tongue and gives it to man and then falls dead. Moon sees him and goes and touches his feet. Young man sits up and Moon tells him man to whom he had given tongue is Sun. Moon makes him his own son and warns him that when Sun offers him choice of weapons he is to take old ones. Sun takes him to sky in morning and cries because No-Tongue takes best things, as these give boy life. Sun asks No-Tongue to send him white buffalo robe. Moon tells him to get dark-brown robe for Sun and powder it with white clay. Sun hangs up robe and wind shakes all white clay out of it. Sun tells Moon his Little-Sun is going to kill No-Tongue. Moon warns No-Tongue and advises him what to do. No-Tongue goes with party on war-path and Sun plans for Little-Sun to kill him. Little-Sun with enemy and in morning asks No-Tongue to shake hands with him. No-Tongue goes and kills Little-Sun and his people defeat enemy. Sun sends son Big-Sun to kill No-Tongue, but is killed himself. Sun becomes Buffalo to kill No-Tongue, but falls into mud hole. No-Tongue makes fire on his back and Buffalo burns up. Sun tells Moon he will scalp No-Tongue. Moon tells No-Tongue to put false scalp over head with dog’s blood inside. Sun comes and takes scalp. Seeing that No-Tongue is not really scalped, Sun leaves him alone. When old and blind No-Tongue goes to top of hill and makes circle of red sticks for Sun and circle of white sticks for Moon. Sun and Moon come and Sun takes old man to his home.

17. HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF.

Poor boy, Burnt-Hands, lives with grandmother outside of village. Last-Child, daughter of chief, brings them food. Burnt-Hands follows trail of wounded elk and finds it dead. Chiefs Red-Bear and Black-Bear come. Red-Bear shoots boy and drops him into air-hole in ice. White-Bear’s cub takes boy to father. Father pities and adopts him as son and teaches him Bear ceremony. Burnt-Hands receives bundle of medicine and goes home. Notice given for buffalo hunt and that Red-Bear wants hide of white buffalo. Burnt-Hands goes with young men to chase. He gets white buffalo robe, as Red-Bear afraid of him. When he reaches camp he eats meat prepared for Red-Bear. Burnt-Hands takes white buffalo hide to grandmother, who gives it to Last-Child. Elk chase is made to get teeth for Red-Bear. Burnt-Hands promises grandmother elk-tooth dress and tells her in case of trouble to flee to timber. Burnt-Hands goes to chase and collects-many elk teeth and so does Red-Bear. They meet at last elk. Burnt-Hands strikes Red-Bear on head with war-club and drags him to air-hole. Burnt-Hands finds grandmother and they perform Bear ceremony. They turn into Bears and attack warriors, killing many. Others send peace-pipe by Last-Child and it is accepted. Burnt-Hands makes grandmother thirty-eight years old and himself twenty-two, and marries Last-Child. Burnt-Hands becomes chief and has Black-Bear as slave.

18. HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF.

Poor boy goes on war-path with warriors. Grandmother says he is not to tell coyote stories and gives him round burnt clay ball that has handle. When hungry he is to put kernels of corn on ball and roast them. Boy asked to tell coyote stories, but refuses. He roasts corn upon clay ball and then tells stories. Enemy comes and men are scared. When boy has finished eating corn he attacks enemy with clay ball, which is war-club, and kills many. Enemy run away. Burnt-Hands made chief and given good tipi and wife.

19. HOW BURNT-HANDS BECAME A CHIEF.

Poor boy tells grandmother to make him bow and arrows that he may join buffalo hunt. He says he will bring back some tongues and hearts. Boy sings about being selected to stand in front and make motions to direct hunters, and he is selected. He kills buffalo and turning back pulls out buffalo beards and bunch of hair from shoulder. His robe is taken and he sings about snowstorm coming. He goes to grandmother and throws hairs on ground and several tongues and hearts appear. Blizzard kills many men who had made fun of young man. On next buffalo chase he again stands in front and is first to kill buffalo. He takes hair as before and it becomes tongues and hearts. People find out boy is wonderful, and give him pony. He marries chief’s daughter, and becomes great warrior and chief.

20. THE TWO BOYS AND THE WATER-SERPENT.

Two boys are accused of eating up pots of corn. They watch at night near inclosure surrounding village and see long serpent come and stick its head into smokehole of lodges. Next day they make many arrows and at night when serpent has its head in lodge they shoot at it. Serpent goes to river, water of which roars and rises, and serpent is found dead when river goes down.

21. THE BOY WHO BEFRIENDED THE THUNDERBIRDS, AND THE SERPENT.